U.S. Open sponsor Moet leads Champagne toast to champion Serena Williams, a Jehovah's Witness who does not drink

Serena Williams is thrilled about winning the U.S. Open, but she will not celebrate with a champagne toast due to her religious beliefs. (Howard Simmons/New York Daily News)

There was an awkward interval Sunday night in the press interview room, when the U.S. Open sponsors, Moet, delivered a trolley of small champagne bottles to the assembled media who already had waited an hour to ask post-match questions of Serena Williams.

Before Williams could begin answering questions, USTA CEO Gordon Smith led a toast that basically called Williams' victory the greatest match in Open history.

The event felt inappropriate for several reasons: First of all, a modicum of neutrality is expected in media venues. No cheering in the press box, and all that. The match was not that stupendous - merely good, and close.

Reporters also were on tight deadline, hardly thrilled to wait even longer to hear Smith's homage.

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Most importantly, however, Williams is a Jehovah's Witness. The religion greatly discourages drunkenness and self-involved celebration.

A couple of false reports were tweeted suggesting that Williams had ordered the champagne for the press - like golfer "Champagne" Tony Lema.

Serena was gracious about Smith's toast, but she did remind everyone that she could not share in the toast, because of her beliefs.